EFT can be very helpful when used on past issues, clearing our attitude towards them until we feel FREE in the present from the trauma of the past.
EFT can also be very helpful when used about our future. What do you think might happen tomorrow? How do you feel about it? Well, if there is dread or bad feeling there, we can use EFT to help clarify what will happen, what might happen, where we can make changes, where we can't, and of course, to feel more positive about it. Ditto for events further into the future.
And finally, EFT can be tremendously helpful when dealing with the present. It can be applied towards our thoughts about ourselves as well as to our thoughts about others, including both family members and people we met or thought of today. It can also be applied to feelings, emotions and beliefs, as well as thoughts.
What is the difference between thoughts, feelings, emotions, and beliefs? Well, the following is not written in stone, but is just some idea of it. An example of a thought is "Do I really love and accept myself?" An example of a feeling is "I feel awful today". The person is quite sure of how they feel, but with EFT they realize that they could possibly feel better. An example of an emotion is "I hate him!!" It's rather like a feeling, but it's much deeper felt. For example, we don't believe it's possible to change our attitude towards someone else, even if we know rationally that perhaps the person is not acting so bad intentionally. An example of a belief is "It really can't be any other way." I guess this is more about a situation not being changeable.
Each of these thought patterns can be challenged with EFT to hopefully reflect reality better, and create a happier and more productive present and future for ourselves. Even the past will feel brighter when we manage to escape from unhealthy attitudes, since our changes occured because we cared about moving away from distress, and towards health. The past is reframed as part of a positive journey.
EFT and doing regular things
One way of using EFT is to do it often, about your thoughts and feelings through the day. Gradually you learn what EFT can do for you easily and what is more complicated. You might as well take advantage of the easy stuff! Additionally, you learn to integrate EFT into the rest of your life. Because life doesn't only include making changes in your psyche, in your health and in your brain, which are what EFT does. Sometimes, we need to take other sorts of active steps in our lives too. I mean, we always need to do other stuff in our life. We have relationships, things to do, things to take care of, goals, ambitions and responsibilities. EFT can help us do these things better, but it will not usually do these things for us!
EFT can help people develop a positive outlook, can remove meaningless blocks, and most importantly, can help a person choose what to do, and then help them to actually do what they chose. So many of us just sort of flow through life, falling on ideas as they arrive and doing whatever society expects us to do, with a little help from our basic desires. Becoming a human, an individual is so important for long term satisfaction.
But it won't happen with EFT alone - nor is it likely to happen in a life that does not include energy work. It's like walking through a fog. You need to do two things - clear the fog, and then walk in the direction you want to go to. EFT helps clear the fog, but you won't have energy to keep clearing fogs unless you also think about what you want to do with clarity, and then do it!
Having said all that, EFT will likely take large chunks of time in the beginning as we suddenly realize that it is possible to get to know ourselves better, to improve relationships, and to search for better ways, better goals, and honestly, to become better people. It's not so much what we create, but what we discover, and then we can direct our efforts better according to what is really real.
If you thought you're generous, and find out that it was partly generosity, and partly a compulsion to please, and partly not caring for oneself, and partly not caring about the future, and partly trying to buy friendship, you will have a better idea of where you're really up to. Then, if it is your goal to be as generous as you had thought you were, you can devise tactics to become that way, or to define exactly how generous you think it is valuable to be, while how much is taking away from something else important to you.
Knowledge and true understanding are a very valuable tools in self-growth. Use EFT on your actual thoughts and feelings, just say them and tap, and watch which thoughts survive because they are really you, and which dissipate, because they were never you.
So, all my love
Rachel
EFT can help people develop a positive outlook, can remove meaningless blocks, and most importantly, can help a person choose what to do, and then help them to actually do what they chose. So many of us just sort of flow through life, falling on ideas as they arrive and doing whatever society expects us to do, with a little help from our basic desires. Becoming a human, an individual is so important for long term satisfaction.
But it won't happen with EFT alone - nor is it likely to happen in a life that does not include energy work. It's like walking through a fog. You need to do two things - clear the fog, and then walk in the direction you want to go to. EFT helps clear the fog, but you won't have energy to keep clearing fogs unless you also think about what you want to do with clarity, and then do it!
Having said all that, EFT will likely take large chunks of time in the beginning as we suddenly realize that it is possible to get to know ourselves better, to improve relationships, and to search for better ways, better goals, and honestly, to become better people. It's not so much what we create, but what we discover, and then we can direct our efforts better according to what is really real.
If you thought you're generous, and find out that it was partly generosity, and partly a compulsion to please, and partly not caring for oneself, and partly not caring about the future, and partly trying to buy friendship, you will have a better idea of where you're really up to. Then, if it is your goal to be as generous as you had thought you were, you can devise tactics to become that way, or to define exactly how generous you think it is valuable to be, while how much is taking away from something else important to you.
Knowledge and true understanding are a very valuable tools in self-growth. Use EFT on your actual thoughts and feelings, just say them and tap, and watch which thoughts survive because they are really you, and which dissipate, because they were never you.
So, all my love
Rachel
EFT in a Nutshell
EFT is an unusual way of helping people. Hundreds of thousands of people have been helped by it, and in many cases it works where nothing else will. EFT can be used by newcomers with even a 70% success rate, in the hands of a practiced individual the success rate can go up to 95%.
In the words of its creator, Gary Craig: “Try it on Anything”. Yet, he also cautions “Don’t go where you don’t belong”. People who have severe problems, whether these be emotional or physical, would best be served by going to a very experienced EFT practitioner, since unfolding emotions need to be dealt with correctly and sensitively to prevent a trauma from being re-experienced. EFT can be very effective with medical problems but should never be used instead of competent medical practice.
Nevertheless, a huge number of problems can be handled successfully with EFT, even by a novice.
In comparison with other energy healing methods, EFT is very clear and able to be discussed. There have been so many books and articles and case studies written about EFT that helps practitioners learn from one another’s experience. EFT combines tapping on energy meridians, to encourage stuck energy to clear or move, while focusing on, and talking about, a problem.
EFT involves tapping on acupuncture points which will be described in detail in a separate post. (Or go to www.emofree.com and look up the free manual for the tapping points). The following is the Basic EFT Routine for what to say as you tap.
As the person taps at least five times on the KC point, he or she says a phrase. The most useful phrase for most people is “Even though I have (this problem), I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself”. Substitute the name of the specific problem for the words “this problem”. Then tap about seven times, with the fingertips of one hand, on all of the other points, in order. At each point other than the first, say once “this problem” – substituting the name of the specific problem.
EFT works best for specific events, problems, pains and emotions. The more specific and individual the problem, the faster it gets helped. Before one uses a round of EFT one decides upon a problem to target. For example, the problem might be “the pain behind my left eye”, or “this peanut allergy” or “this sadness about her tone of voice as she shouted at me this morning”. One should try to define the problem carefully.
To some readers, it may appear that with all this detail one cannot get very far very fast. Yet this is not necessarily true, as experience will show. There are many different types of problems, and according to the type of problem, that's what the solution will need to include. A problem may be like an onion, with many layers, and as each problem peels off, another one begins to show. A problem may instead be like garlic, with multiple parallel segments. Other problems are like potatoes – just one big lump. Onions and garlic, and even potatoes have an exact numbers of layers or sections, this number does not secretly increase. Similarly EFT may have to be applied to each section of a problem separately, but it does end.
One should try to take a reading of how intense the problem feels before the EFT round begins, for example, on a scale of 1-10. If the problem begins as an 8, and after a round of EFT it drops to a 4, that’s quite amazing! After another round of EFT, identical to the first round, the intensity might drop further, until it reaches zero.
If instead, the intensity does not drop at all after a round, more careful definition of the problem is often needed. EFT works directly to help physical pains and problems alleviate, but sometimes the physical pain is a result, or manifestation of an underlying emotional problem. In these cases, it is helpful to identify which emotion might have been involved.
It is useful to consider what emotion the person was feeling when the problem began. A question commonly asked by Gary Craig to help identify which emotion might be involved is “If there were an emotion, like grief, sadness, anger, (continue list) that might have contributed to this problem, what do you think that emotion might be?” The first suggestion that comes to the person’s head is used as the problem in the next EFT round, even if it seems ludicrous, because usually it turns out to be extremely accurate. For example the new EFT round would be accompanied by the phrase “Even though I have this grief, I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself”.
After a round, check the intensity rating to see if there has been any resolution of the problem. Also check if the problem has changed in character. When a problem changes in character, it is a sign that a first aspect of the problem has been resolved, while a new aspect has surfaced, like a heretofore hidden layer of an onion, described above. For example anger about something might turn to sadness, which then becomes grief, and then guilt. If problems have multiple aspects, they must all be dealt with before the problem will disappear.
With lots of practice and training (available in Gary Craig’s video format, or from an accomplished practitioner, and, I hope, with information from this blog), different phraseology to the standard phrase described above can be also used successfully according to the client and the problem being dealt with, to speed up the process.
Some people have difficulty saying the standard phrase ending “…I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself”. They can substitute whatever endings they prefer, here are some suggestions: “…I prefer to love and accept myself” or “…I trust Hashem is guiding me towards a solution” or “…I’d love to love and accept myself” or “…I wonder if it can be resolved”.
Some people are scared to describe their problem in words, being afraid that describing it might cause it to get worse. I think that this is superstition and not really sensible.
All my love
Rachel
Please remember, I recommend EFT but I do not take any responsibility for your using it. Your use of EFT or of my advice is entirely at your own risk, even if you do not yet know what these risks might be! If you feel worse instead of better, please stop and consult a health care practitioner who can help you. Energy work is powerful and people usually need at least a knowledgeable and caring friend with whom you can discuss your efforts. An EFT practitioner can be particularly helpful, but he or she must be the right match for you.
(c) Rachel Geller, July 2008. All rights reserved.
In the words of its creator, Gary Craig: “Try it on Anything”. Yet, he also cautions “Don’t go where you don’t belong”. People who have severe problems, whether these be emotional or physical, would best be served by going to a very experienced EFT practitioner, since unfolding emotions need to be dealt with correctly and sensitively to prevent a trauma from being re-experienced. EFT can be very effective with medical problems but should never be used instead of competent medical practice.
Nevertheless, a huge number of problems can be handled successfully with EFT, even by a novice.
In comparison with other energy healing methods, EFT is very clear and able to be discussed. There have been so many books and articles and case studies written about EFT that helps practitioners learn from one another’s experience. EFT combines tapping on energy meridians, to encourage stuck energy to clear or move, while focusing on, and talking about, a problem.
EFT involves tapping on acupuncture points which will be described in detail in a separate post. (Or go to www.emofree.com and look up the free manual for the tapping points). The following is the Basic EFT Routine for what to say as you tap.
As the person taps at least five times on the KC point, he or she says a phrase. The most useful phrase for most people is “Even though I have (this problem), I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself”. Substitute the name of the specific problem for the words “this problem”. Then tap about seven times, with the fingertips of one hand, on all of the other points, in order. At each point other than the first, say once “this problem” – substituting the name of the specific problem.
EFT works best for specific events, problems, pains and emotions. The more specific and individual the problem, the faster it gets helped. Before one uses a round of EFT one decides upon a problem to target. For example, the problem might be “the pain behind my left eye”, or “this peanut allergy” or “this sadness about her tone of voice as she shouted at me this morning”. One should try to define the problem carefully.
To some readers, it may appear that with all this detail one cannot get very far very fast. Yet this is not necessarily true, as experience will show. There are many different types of problems, and according to the type of problem, that's what the solution will need to include. A problem may be like an onion, with many layers, and as each problem peels off, another one begins to show. A problem may instead be like garlic, with multiple parallel segments. Other problems are like potatoes – just one big lump. Onions and garlic, and even potatoes have an exact numbers of layers or sections, this number does not secretly increase. Similarly EFT may have to be applied to each section of a problem separately, but it does end.
One should try to take a reading of how intense the problem feels before the EFT round begins, for example, on a scale of 1-10. If the problem begins as an 8, and after a round of EFT it drops to a 4, that’s quite amazing! After another round of EFT, identical to the first round, the intensity might drop further, until it reaches zero.
If instead, the intensity does not drop at all after a round, more careful definition of the problem is often needed. EFT works directly to help physical pains and problems alleviate, but sometimes the physical pain is a result, or manifestation of an underlying emotional problem. In these cases, it is helpful to identify which emotion might have been involved.
It is useful to consider what emotion the person was feeling when the problem began. A question commonly asked by Gary Craig to help identify which emotion might be involved is “If there were an emotion, like grief, sadness, anger, (continue list) that might have contributed to this problem, what do you think that emotion might be?” The first suggestion that comes to the person’s head is used as the problem in the next EFT round, even if it seems ludicrous, because usually it turns out to be extremely accurate. For example the new EFT round would be accompanied by the phrase “Even though I have this grief, I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself”.
After a round, check the intensity rating to see if there has been any resolution of the problem. Also check if the problem has changed in character. When a problem changes in character, it is a sign that a first aspect of the problem has been resolved, while a new aspect has surfaced, like a heretofore hidden layer of an onion, described above. For example anger about something might turn to sadness, which then becomes grief, and then guilt. If problems have multiple aspects, they must all be dealt with before the problem will disappear.
With lots of practice and training (available in Gary Craig’s video format, or from an accomplished practitioner, and, I hope, with information from this blog), different phraseology to the standard phrase described above can be also used successfully according to the client and the problem being dealt with, to speed up the process.
Some people have difficulty saying the standard phrase ending “…I deeply and profoundly love and accept myself”. They can substitute whatever endings they prefer, here are some suggestions: “…I prefer to love and accept myself” or “…I trust Hashem is guiding me towards a solution” or “…I’d love to love and accept myself” or “…I wonder if it can be resolved”.
Some people are scared to describe their problem in words, being afraid that describing it might cause it to get worse. I think that this is superstition and not really sensible.
All my love
Rachel
Please remember, I recommend EFT but I do not take any responsibility for your using it. Your use of EFT or of my advice is entirely at your own risk, even if you do not yet know what these risks might be! If you feel worse instead of better, please stop and consult a health care practitioner who can help you. Energy work is powerful and people usually need at least a knowledgeable and caring friend with whom you can discuss your efforts. An EFT practitioner can be particularly helpful, but he or she must be the right match for you.
(c) Rachel Geller, July 2008. All rights reserved.
EFT
EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques, and was created by Gary Craig
I thought perhaps readers would like to read about EFT, and other energy therapies, so that you might discover just what they can do for you...
EFT is a way of tapping on meridian points and saying (or at least focusing on) a specific problem. The point being that the problem is supposed to gradually dissipate as you do this. Quite amazingly, it often does. Not always though, there is some technique involved for those stubborn problems!
So in my next post, I'd like to tell you about the Basic Routine, which works for many problems. In later posts, I'll try to write about lots of different solutions that help solve problems when the Basic Routine is not enough.
All my love
Rachel
I thought perhaps readers would like to read about EFT, and other energy therapies, so that you might discover just what they can do for you...
EFT is a way of tapping on meridian points and saying (or at least focusing on) a specific problem. The point being that the problem is supposed to gradually dissipate as you do this. Quite amazingly, it often does. Not always though, there is some technique involved for those stubborn problems!
So in my next post, I'd like to tell you about the Basic Routine, which works for many problems. In later posts, I'll try to write about lots of different solutions that help solve problems when the Basic Routine is not enough.
All my love
Rachel
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